Refrigerating food cabinet



J. R. REPLOGLE REFRIGERATING FOOD GABINET Dec.l 4

1:5 sheets-sheep 1 vFiled July-21.

Dec; 4 1923.

Filed July 2l. 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet. 2

Afa/Emme ATTO/@NEM J. R. REPLOGLE REFRIGERATING FooD CABINET Filed July L21. 1922 5 sheets-sheet 4 VDetroit,'in the county ofiVayn'e and unit.

Patented Dec. 4, 1923.

VUmmm STATES lPATIezNT OFFICE.

Jol-INv n. BEPLCGLE, or DETROIT, MICHIGAN, AssIGNon'.. To NIzEn LABoaAToaIEs A COMPANY, or DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION or MICHIGAN.

i REFRIGERTING FOOD CABINET.

Application led July 21,

ABe it known that-I, JoHN R. Barmenia, a citizen of the United States, residin -at tatel of `Michigan, have invented certain'new and useful. Improvements in and Relating to Refrigerating Food Cabinets, of which the following is a specication, reference 'being made therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention relates `-to refrigerating cabinets for `food and the like 'and includes -both improvements inthe individual cabinet andan improved system of connecting` and operating a plurality of cabinets as a VVhiie cabinets embodying my improvement are adapted for the holding of various kinds -fV foods' and other materials at a desired low temperature, the invention is aimed more especially 'at the'conditions involved 1n thestorin of ice cream for sale by retail'dealers.V uch dealers have been laccustomed to holdjtheir ice crearn'in cabinets cooled by salt and ice mixtures, these cabinets-being iced by the ice cream manufacturer who f supplies -the dealer.v This practice is in vmany respects unsatisfactory both to the manufacturer and the dealer. Thev cost of the ice and salt and especially the cost of hauling large amounts of ice fromy' the ice cream'plant to the widely scat-v tered' stores of the dealers is very expensive for the ice cream manufacturer, and the carT ryingof' ice an'dv salt into .stores and ice cream parlors by the drivers with the inevitable dropping of more or less ice and salt, is objectionable to the dealer. In addition the failure ofthe ice packed cabinet uni- Y machine cabinet which 1s shown-on the basement level in Fig. 1.

come these objections by installing InechanT 'ically refrigerated cabinets; in ice' cream parlors or dealers stores, but as faras I alu aware no successful installations of this character have been made prior to my. in-

' vention'.' The conditions.offinstallation and operation which must bemet 'in' the-introductionl of such mechanically refrigerated cabi-V4 nets are-.so variable that theproblem of proyidin'g'a mechanically refrigerated cabinetwhich is capable'of meeting the'conditions and at the same time of being lproduced at 1922. serial mi. 576,477.

a cost "low enough to make their-use feasible, has been'- a..d iilicult one. Furthermore, va mechanically refrigerated' cabinet to. be successfulA must behighly reliable in opera- 'tion and -require a minimumof attention from the storekeeper.

'"th a view of meeting the requirements above indicated, one object of the present invention is the provision of a Vmechanically refrigerated cabinet that -is eiicient and reliable inV operation, simple and compact structurally, and having its main working parts arranged to be readily exposed for inspection when desired without interfering with the normal use of the cabinet.

A further object of the ini-'entionis the provision of' a simple, effective and reliable system of connectingr and operating` a plurality of cabinets having a single refrigeration mechanism which serves for all of them. A

Another object of the invention is the provision of a system of connecting and operat- -ing a' plurality of cabinets which i's flexible as to capacity andadaptable to varied conditions 'of installation and operation. y

Other objects of theinvention, more or less incidental or ancillary to the foregoing will:

appear in the following description which sets forth in connectionw-ith the accompanying drawings a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings,

cabinets 'installed in the basement and first licor of -a building for operation as a unitary system.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the -main or F ig.,'3 is an .enlarged vertical section Fig. l is a sectional elel .vation showing a plurality of my lmproved connections of my improved-cabinet system.

Fig. 7a is a diagrammatic View of the main parts of the refrigeration mechanism, showing the refrigerant conduits connecting ithe evaporator, the compressor and the actuating devices of the control switch.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the brine pump and its driving motor of my improved system, some of the parts being shown in vertical section.

Fig. 9 is a section on the line 9-9, Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is av vertical section through 'a brine cooler which in some installations may be used in lieu of the machine cabinet shown in Figs 3 and 4.

Referring in detail to the construction illustrated, 1 is a main or machine cabinet which is shown in Fig. 1 as installed in the basement of the ice cream dealers store building. 2 is an auxiliary ice cream cabinet lnstalled on the fioor above and 3 is a second auxiliary cabinet installed on the same floor as-the cabinet 2.

onsidering first the construction of the mam cabinet 1, the same comprises a unitary frame with top and bottom walls 4 and 5, sldewalls 6 and 7, end walls `8 and 9 and a vertical partition 10 which divides the cabinetinto two compartments. One of the eX.- terior lateral walls of the smaller compartment, preferably the end wall 9 is in the form of a removable panel secured by screws 9a or the like.

The larger of these two compartments has lts bottom, side and end walls lined'with heat-insulating material 11.V This insulating material may be of any suitable character but I have found cork board most satisfactory. The cork boards 11 constitute in effectr part of the walls of the cabinet. Within these heat-insulating walls is arranged a sheet metal brine tank-12 which preferably rests upon a shallow sheet metal pan 13 which is supported by the bottom 1nsulat1on 11. The pan 13 serves to catch and hold water resulting from defrosting of the tank in case the cabinet is taken from serv1ce,'or split ice-cream or the like, thus preventlng wetting and deterioration of the insulation of the cabinet. The tank 12 has vertical side andend walls 12L and top and bottom walls 12b, 12. The top and bottom walls area ertured vto receive the ends of' two pairs o vertical sleeves 14, 14a and 15, 15, the ends of the sleeves being connected to the tank walls with liquid-tight joints. As shown, the sleeves 14, 15, 15 are cylindrical, while the sleeve 14a has straight sides wlth rounded-corners. The vertical sleeves are designed to form chambers or receptacles to receive cans of bulk ice cream, say five gallon cans, or at least the sleeves 14, 15, .15a are so designed; the fiat-sided sleeve 14a 1s so made to better accommodate brick ice cream. To take the impact of cans of ice 'cream lowered into the sleeves each of them 1s preferably provided at its lower end with Lavaca@ a heavy sheet metal pan 18 which rests upon vthe pan 13. The top wall 4 of the cabinet is the pair of sleeves 15, 15n to provide room for an evaporator or Vaporizer designated in its entirety by 23. In so far as some features of the present invention are concerned this evaporator may be of any desired or suitable construction but the preferred eva porator 223 illustrated is like that of the refrigerationV apparatus disclosed in my pending United States applic-ation, Serial No. 475,344, filed June 6th, 1921, and my Letters latent of France, No. 547,971, to which reference may be had for a detailed showing and description of the vaporizer and the compressor mechanism associated with it. F or the purpose of the present invention it is sufiicient to note that the evaporator coinprises a header 24 and a. series of depending pipe loops or circulating tubes 25. One end of the header 24 is formed by a head casting 24"L having al flange 24b which is connected with a liquid-tight joint to the adjacent side wall of the tank 12 at the periphery of' an aperture through said wall by bolts or rivets, as shown in Fig. 4.

The tank 12 is filled with brine preferably to a level somewhat below the top wall 12b of said tank, so that a major p-art of the sleeves 14, 14a and 15, 15a and the major `part of the vaporizer are immersed in or surrounded by the brine. It may be noted here that while, for the sake of brevity and convenience, I employ the term brine throughout this application, any suitable one of the known anti-freezing solutions can be used, and the term brine should be' read in a correspondingly broad and comprehensive sence.

In the smaller compartment of the ice vcreanrcab-inet is mounted a suitable comtank, and capable of being enclosed in the space available,

The apparatus 26 illustrated comprisesan. electric motor 28 havingits 'armatureshaft arranged vertically to drive the crank shaft of the compressor through suitable Worm gearing. 0n the flanged top of the crank case 29 of the compressor is mounted a condenser dome 30 within which are disposed water-cooled coils (not shown). The interior of the condenser dome 30 is connccted by a passage 31, which leads downward through the crank case casting, to a pipe titting'32 which in turn is connected by a tube with the head 24 of the lvaporize-r header, the passage way being controlled by a float-actuated valve disposed within the header as shown and described in my pending application, Serial No. 475,344, and my Letters Patent of France No. 547,971, above mentioned. The vapor-space in the upper lpart of the header 24 is connected by a tube 34 with the interior of the crank case 29 through a 'hollow boss or attachment 29a on vt-he side of said crank case. The compressor crank case, the condenser dome 30, vaporizer 23 with the connecting tubes 33 and 34 constitute a closed system into which is charged some suit-able working medium, such as sulfur dioxide. When the compressor is'operated by the motor 28 the sulfur dioxide gas is drawn from the crank case, compressed and discharged under pressure into the condenser 30 where it comes 'in contact .with the water-cooled tubes and is liquefied. This liquefied refrigerant gas then enters the passage 31 and flows through the vtube 33 into the vaporizer 23 where it vaporizes and absorbs heat from the brine and thereafter in a gaseous state returns through the tube 34 to the crank case 29 of the compressor.

- The compressor is automatically started and stopped by a pressure controlled mechanism Which actuates a switch to connect and disonnect the driving motor 28 and, preferably, an electromagnetic valve which controls the flow of Water through the condenser. l

conduit corresponding to said conduit 374 extends to and is connected with the header of the evaporator, and in some cases this latter construction is to be preferred. The

- lower flanged endof the cylinder 35 is se- 'e'ured to a head glgformed ,with a center depression which engages an opening 39 in a plateA 40 on-the top of a switch box 41. A vertical compressible bellows 42 has its lower end secured to a ring 43 clamped between plate 40 and cylinder 35. The upper end of bellows 42 is closed by a cap 44, the lower side of which is formed with an extension bored out to receive. the upper end of a plunger 45 to which it is rigidly secured. The plunger 45 extends downwardly through an aperture in a. bushing 46 which is screwed into plate 40. A saddle 47 rests upon the upper end of nut 46 and serves as a support for the lower end of a spring 48, the upper end of said spring engaging a flanged ring 49 mounted on plunger' 45. The spring tends to maintain theibellows in extended position. of bushing 4G is arranged a spring 5l, the lower end of which rests upon the adjustable nuts 52 on plunger 45. 'lhe bushing 46 can be adjusted vertically and se'urcd by a lock nut The tension of spring 48 is varied by adjustment of the bushing 46. Also, by adjustment of the nuts 52 the tension of spring 51 is varied and through it also the efective pressure of spring`48'against cap 44. A sleeve 54 serves to prevent' the collapse inward of the bellows and to limit the downward movement of the plunger. It will be seen that the pressure of the vaporized refrigerant in the header 24 through the tubes 34 and 37 tends to depress the bellows and plunger 45 connected thereto.

The amount of pressure necessary to depress the plunger 45A will depend upon the tension of the springs 48 and 51. A

The'lower end of plunger 45 operates the channel-shaped lever 55 to control the electric switch. Said lever -is mounted on a pivot pin 56. Near one end of the lever 55 its web portion is apcrtured and over this aperture is secured an inverted -U-shapcd member 55n formed with an aperture aligned with that through the lever. A reduced portion 45 of the plunger extends into saidaperture at its lower end and engages a fiat spring 55b secured in the channel ot' lever 55. A shoulder 45d on the plunger, by engagement-with the member 55a. serves to limit the liexing of the spring 551. while a head 45e on the lower end of the plunger is adapted to engage the member 55ato elevate the lever and open the switch. Adjacent the member 55, the lever is connected by a pin and slot connection 57 to a lever 58 which in turn is pivoted to the lower end of an adjustable support 59. Said support can be'adjust'ed up or down by turning the swivel nut 60.A Lock nut 61 secures the support in adjusted position. A lug 62 o'n lever arm 58 is arranged to engage pivot pin 56,

In a-recess 50 in the lower side.

thus limiting the upward movement of said l arranged to operate the switch. The latter may be of any Suitable form but as shown is of the snap-switch type and is designated in. its entirety by 63. It has ,a base plate 63 on which are mounted Contact members 64` 65 to which the conductors are connected in the usual manner. A post 66 on plate 63a has pivoted thereto, as by the knife edges shown, the arms 67 and 68. Arm 68 has a rigid extension 69 to the outer end of which is secured flat springs 70 (one of which is shown in Fig. 5). These springs carry the movable contact plate 71 of thc switch. By yielding` springs 70 give the contactplate 71 a sliding movement-when it first comes into engagement with the contact members 64, 65, thus keeping the contact surfaces clean. The arm 67 is secured to a link 72 connected to the end of arm 58. Two springs 73 connect the arms 67 and 68 so that'when the link 72 is lowered from the position shown in Fig. 5` the springs will be carried below the knife. edge supports of the arms.

and, as the line of centers is passed, snap reveee in position on the switch box bymeans of a post 85 and cross plate 86.

lf the' pressure of the refrigerant in the condenser becomes excessive, the bellows 82 is foi-ccd downward and the lower end of the plunger 84 is caused to engage the free end of the lever 55 thereby lifting the switch link 72 and disengaging the latch 74 to Snap the switch open and stop the motor.

In the gas conipressingand liquefying apparatus illustrated, the cooled water supplied to the condenser coils is automatically controlled by an electro-magnetically operated valve 87 (Figs. 3 and 6). To a base plate 88, which is secured to the top of the gear casing of the compressor mechanism, are secured two upright supports 89. The valve casing 90 is clamped between the upper ends of these supports 89. In the bore the contact plate 71 into engagement witl1`\-91 0f Said C-aSllg iS allimged'a Seibt 92 fOI the members 64 and 65. )Vhen the link 72 is raised the reverse operation takes place. Arm 68 has its upper movement limited by a latch 74 which engages the edge of a slot 75 in said arm. lVhen the arm is in lowered position the end of said slot is engaged by a notch 76 of the latch 74. Thus, when the contact member 7l is in closed position. it is so held by means of noten 76 until the extension 77 of arm 67 engages a finger 78 on latch 74 and releases the latter against the tension of spring 79, thus permitting spring 73 to snap contact plate 71 away from the contact members 64, 65.

Assuming that the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 5, if the pressure in header 24 increases for any reason, for example a rise of the temperature in the ward against spring 55b and cause the lever 55 and the arm 58 to move downward t0 throw the switch and start the motor.

It sometimes happens in mechanical refrigerators of the compression type that the pressure in the condenser becomes excessive,

^ as for example if the supply of cooling water fails. It is essential t0 provide means for automatically stopping the motor under such conditions. In the apparatus shown in Fig. 5, I have indicated a'second pressure actuated devicey comprising a "cylinder 80 which is connected through a conduit 81 with the conduit 33, said connection preferably being made through the fitting 32 (see Fig. 3) which is designed to serve as a charglng valve for the system.

In the cylinder 80 is arranged a bellows 82 and a spring 83 for holding the same extended. Tolthe upper part of the bellows is connected a plunger 84, the construction ya water-tight joint.

.a ball valve 93. The inlet end of the casing is connected to the conduit 94 which in turn is connected to a flexible tube 95 leading t-o the water supply pipe. A conduit' 96 is connected through a lateral opening with the bore to the valve casing below the valve seat. Conduit 96 has its other end connected to one end of the coil of the condenser within the .dome 30, the other end of said coil being connected to a pipe 97 which leads to the waste pipe. A plug` 98 is slidably fitted 1n the lower end of the valve casing bore, said plug being provided with packing to make Between a flange on the lower end of the plug and the bottom of the valve casing is arranged a spring 99. The plug 98 has an axial bore in which is tlghtly secured a valvesoperating rod 100. header, the plunger 45 will be forced downv To operate the valvel provide a laminated U-shaped magnet 101 which has one leg clamped between the supports 89. The other magnet leg is provided with a wlndlng 102 which is connected in series with the .motor 28. The wound le of the magnet has an ex tension 103 to whic is pivoted the e'nd of an armature 104, the other end thereof havmg an extension 105 in which is adjustably mounted contact screw 106 arranged to engage and lift the valve operating rod 100. 107 is an adjustable stop nut on the' lower end of screw 106. A stop screw 108 limlts the opening movement of the valve 93.

` lVhen the circuit through the motor 28 and the magnet coil 102 is closed, armature 104 is lifted and the valve 93 is opened. lVhen said circuit is broken valve 93 is allowed to close.

A refrigerated ice cream cabinet constructed and fitted as described is capable of main-` taining its food chambers at uniformly low imum attention. As soon as the temperature of the brine surrounding the food chambers rises above a certain point the pressure in the vaporizier header 24 starts thevmotor of the compressor and this withdraws the vapor-ized gas in the vapo'rizer and compresses and liquefies it, and thelowering of the pressure in the vaporizer immediately increases the rate of vaporization therein with the resultant lowering of the temperature. As soon as the temperature, and consequently the pressure inthe header 24, falls to a. certain point the compressor motor is, automatically disconnected and the compressor stopped.

By disposing the two pairs of food cham- 'bers in spaced relation to each other and arranging the vaporizer between them, as shown, I,secure a natural circulation of the brine-which substantially uniformly affects all four of the food chambers and maintains them at substantially the same temperature.V

Indeed I have found that the arrangement of a vaporizer, of the character illustrated, transversely of the cabinet with food chambers on both sides of it, secures aconvection rows extending longitudinally of the cabi-y net, is very advantageous in other respects.

Y Thus, within the practically feasible limits for the cabinet width, said arrangement provides maximum food storage for a given brine tank wall area with a consequent minimizing of heat losses. Said arrangement also conforms to cabinet width dimensions adapted to accommodate a highly compact form of compressorcondenser unit with the result that a very high degree of compactness for the cabinet asa whole is attained in proportion to its capacity. It is noted vin this connection that the relatively great foodholding capacity of the cabinet is due in part to the fact that the food chambers extend substantially the full depth of the cabinet provide for such accessibility vby mounting the compressor, condenser control devices and vdriving motor in the end compartment of the cabinet so that it can be quickly and easily ex osed 'by simply removing the panel 9.' T lusvaccess is afforded to the machine compartment without interfering at all with access to the food cham. bers. Ice creamcabinets-must ordinarily be installed in the limited ,space available back of store counters or soda fountains and I have found the arrangement of the vfood chambers in two pairs with interposed vaporizer andthe arrangement of the compressor and motor mechanism in an end compartment of the cabinet, to be one which lends itself especially well to the average space limitations referred to, as well as being highly satisfactory from the standpoint of operation and inspection.

While one cabinet, such as that above described, furnishes suiicient capacity for some dealers, there are manyv other eases in which the dealer must have a larger capacity and some dealers are so, situated that they must carry a certain amount of ice cream in reserve storage.4 Again the capacity required by these latter dealers handling larger amounts of ice cream varies with the season, a larger capacity being necessary' in the summer than in the winter. To meet conditions such asthese I have devised an improved system of connecting and operating a series of refrigerated cabinets including a machine cabinet such as that previously described and one or more auxwir iliary cabinets which are not provided -with refrigeration machines but vare cooled by brine drawn from and returned tothe main or machine cabinet.

-As shown in Fig. 1 the'main or machine cabinet is arranged in the basement of the dealers store building, the :auxiliary cabinet 2 is provided with three holes or food chalIl-l bers and the second auxiliary cabinet 3 1s provided with four food chambers. In the case of the cabinet 2 the threel food chambers are arranged in a single row while in the case of cabinet 3 the four chambers are arranged inhtwo pairs as in the case of cabinet 1 except that the two pairs are not spaced apart as far.

The construction of the frame, walls.,

brine tanks,.food chamber sleeves and food chamber covers, is of the Vsame character in the' case of cabinets 2 and 3 as theI construction of the corresponding parts of the machine cabinet 1 and a brief description of the auxiliary cabinets will therefore suffice. The cabinet 2 comprises the external walls 109, the cork insulation material the brine tank 111 fitted with the three sleeves forming the three food chambers 112. The three food compartments are closed by the removable covers 113.

Similarly the cabinet 3 comprises the outer walls 114, the cork insulating material 115, the brine tank 116 formed with itsV two pairs of sleeves to provide four chambers 117, the tood compartments being closed by the removable covers 118.

To effect the circulation of brine from the maintank 1 to the auxiliary tanks on the upper lever 1. provide a circulating pump 119 which may be of any suitable type but I prefer to use agear pump. This pump/ is driven by an electric motor 120, botn the pump and motor being mounted upon a shelf 121 which is supported on one end of the cabinet 1 by brackets 122. The suction passage ot the pump 119 is connected to a pipe 123 which opens into the brine tank of the cabinet slightly above the bottom thereof, said pipe being controlled by a suitable turn plug 124. The discharge passage of the pump 119 is connected to a pipe 125 which leads to the cabinet 2 and opens into the brine. tank 111 thereof slightly below lits top. The brine tank ot the cabinet 2 is connected to the brine tank ot the cabinet 3 by a 'pipe` 126 which opens into said brine tanks slightly below their tops, as shown. The brine tank of the cabinet 3 is in turn connected by a pie 127 with the brine tank of' the cabinet 1. said pipe 127 opening into both brine tanks slightly below their tops. The pipes 125 and 126 are c'onnected by a pipe v12S and valves 129, 130 and 131 are provided in the pipes 125, 12S and 126, respectively, so that it is possible when desired to put the cabinet 2 out of operation. 'YVhen all three cabinets are in use the valves 129 and 131 are open and the valve 13() is closed, but by closing the valves 129, 131 and opening the valve 130 the 'low of the cooling brine can be by-passed around the sired temperature, it is obvious that unless cabinet 2.

With a series of cabinets having their brine tanks lconnected as described, it will be seen that the circulating pump draws brine from the main cabinet at the lower level with a very small suction lift and then forces the brine upward aga-inst the :relatively high head to the level of the upper cabinets,the pump and not the brine tank 12 sustaining the pressure incident.- to said head. The brine forced upward through the pipe 125 enters the -brine tank 111 of the cabinet 2 and raises the level of the brine therein. To insure that the brine be actively7 circulated through the tank 111 and out through the pipe 126 into the brine tank 116 of the cabinet 3, the tank 111 is clos-ed oil" tightly from the atmosphere so that the pressure generated by the circulating pump 119 is Yeective to torce the` brine from' the tank ot' the cabinet 2 through the pipe 126 to the `'tank of the 'cabinet 3 notwithstanding the fact that the cabinets 2and 3 are on the same. level.- However, in the case ot the cabinet 3, its elevation above the cabinet 1 insures a rapid flow ofthe brine through the pipe 127 as the level ofthe brine rises in the tank 116 of the cabinet 3 so that it is not necessary that the tank 116 be tightly closed. In fact, it is desirable and important that the brine tanks ot both the cabinet 3 and the cabinet 1 be open to the atmosphere through suitable vents. Accordingly. in case of brine tank 1, I provide a. suitable screened vent tube 12l which leads from the top wall 12b of the brine tankv through the top Wall 4 of the cabinet. And in the caseof the cabinet 3, I provide a similar vent tube 116?. Were novent or breather passage provided for the tank of the cabinet 3, the stopping of the circulating pump and the subsequent siphon effect on the tank of the cabinet 3 Would collapse it by the creation of a partial vacuum, a flatwalled tank being ill-adapted to resist great pressure either eXterioror interior. On the other hand, it no vent passage lwere provided tor the tank of the cabinet 1, air entrained in the brine returning from the tank of the upper cabinet would build up a severe pressure in the tank of cabinet 1.

I have shown the circulating pipes 123, 125, 126, 127 and 128 as covered with suitable insulating nlaterial or lagging and I prefer to also. provide heateinsulating material tor the pump 119. For this purpose I provide a casing 119 in which Wool felt or other suitable heat-insulating material can be packed.

I come now to the method of regulating the tempera-tures of the food chambers of the auxiliary cabinets. lVhile the automatic control of the refrigeration. mechanism in the main cabinet '1 is adapted tomaintain the food chambers ot that cabinet at any dean active circulation ot brine through all of the cabinets is maintained at all times, the tempera-tures et the Jfood chambers in the auxiliary cabinets might diil'er materially from the temperatures in the main cabinet due to the different conditions to which the different cabinets are subject. lSuch constant circulation of the brine would be cost-ly in consumption of electric current and wear of the apparatus and I have devised a specialunethod of insuring suitable temperatures in the auxiliary cabinets with the eX- penditure ot a minimum of energy in circulating the brine, and this method I will non' describe. y

As is indicated in Fig. 7, the pump 1nois opened the compressor is stopped and the circulation of the brine is Stopped. Obviously this alone will not insure the mainte`- nance of a s'uliciently .low temperature in the auxiliary cabinets 2 and 3, because'these cabinets are likely to be in a warmer room than the main cabinet 1 and, with the cream being dispensed from cabinets 2 and 3 their adopted the expedient of making the ratio of the ciibical brine capacity of each auxiliary tank to the total heat conducting capacity of its walls Greater than the corre-v sponding ratio for tie main tank. I have found it satisfactory in practice to use a differential of about 10%. That is to say,

-it' thc ratio iii question for the main or machine tank is taken as unity, I make the corresponding ratio for each auxiliary tau 1.1. For all conditions met with in ordi--A nary practice this will insure that the food chambers in the auxiliary cabinets are kept at a temperature at least as low as are the food chambers in the main or machine cabinets. l? or the sake of manufacturing economy I prefer to make the insulation of all the cabinets uniform and when this is done the external area ot' the Walls of the brine tank compartment of each cabinet may be taken as a measure of their heat conducting capacity. In practice I have satisfactorily employed 2-iiich thick cork board as the insulating material for my cabinets.

I havek 'found that with my improved Way of constructing and connecting the main and auiziliary cabinets and of controlling the operation ofthe refrigeration apparatus, an 'adequately low temperature is main tained in thc cabinets by the operation of the refrigeration mechanism for relatively short periods. In fact, in typical cases I find that operation of the compressor for two hours or so once in live or six hours is all that is required. It will thus be seen that an adequate circulation of brinefor the entire s vstem is secured with the ex penditure of a minimum of energy and, at the same time, an automatic control of the brine circulation is secured without the use of any instrumentality other than that necessary for the automatic control of the refrigeration mechanism. It. is obvious that my method of automatically controlling the circulation oi cooling brine in unison with the operation of the: com ressor-is a'p'pli cable to any sort of brine circulating system,'

'spects there can be Wide variation without regardless of the form, number and arrangement of the brine tanks or containing means. When the main cabinet 1 is used alone, as isthe case in the majority of in# stallations, a forced circulation of the brine bymeans of the pump is ordinarily unnecessary and in such cases it will, ot' course, be understood that the cabinet is not-'fitted with a p ump.-

lUnder some circumstances, I find it desirable to provide inv connection with one or more auxiliary tanks, a brine cooling tank having no provision for holding ice cream or other food, and in such cases I provide a simple brine tank tted with a refri eration mechanism,- as shown in'Fig. 10. ere the cabinet is provided with a casing 132 divided into a brine tank 'compartment and a. machine compartment by a partition 133. In the former compartment is mounted a. brine tank 134 just large enough to accommodate the vaporizer 135 which is operatively :connected with Vthe motor driven compressor and condenser unit designated in its entirety by 136 and mounted in the other compartment of the cabinet.' The brine tank 13e is surrounded -by ,insulating material, such as cork board and is provided with inlet and out-let pipes 137, 138.and in the same mannerras the mav Vchine cabinet 1, previously described. Also, the compressor and condenser unit is of the same construction as that previously described in connection with the cabinet 1 and is mounted in the cabinet and connected In vthe present application I do not claim l those features of my invention having to do with the construction of the loodl chambers 'control means responsive to the temperature 'in the brine tank. Furthermore, while I haveshoirn and described in some detail the preferred forms of construction and preferred arrangements ofthe parts and devices, it will be understood that i'n all redepartin from the invent on, the scope of il l) 4the invention being .indicated in the apcomprising a motor-driven compressor, al

condenser andan evaporator operatively connected withl the compressor and iinmersed in the brine of the brine tank', the said compressor being enclosed in another of said compartments 'ot' the cabinet and this compressor compartment having an opening andra closure therefor constituting` an outsideI wall section oi' the cabinet and arranged to alord ready access to said coinpressor compartment without interfering with access to said food chambers.

.2. A refrigerated cabinet for food and the like, having a 4unitary frame and walls dividing tlie'structuie into alpliiralityof compartments, a brine tank disposed in one of said compartments, a plurality of opentopped food .chambers extending downward intothe brine tank and having their upper ands opening through the top wall of the cabinet, movable closures for said food chambers, and means for cooling the brine comprising a motor-driven compressor, a condenser and an evaporator operatively connected with the compressor and immersed in the brine of the v brine tank, the said compressor being enclosed in another of said compartments of the cabinet and this compressor compartment having an opening and a closure .therefor constituting an outside wall section of the cabinet and affording ,ready .access to said coinpressor compartment without interfering with access to said food chambers.

3. A horizontally elongated refrigerated cabinet for foods and the like having top,

bottom and lateral exterior walls and means comprising an upright wall dividing the structure into a plurality of compartments, a brine tank disposed in one of said compartments, a plurality of open-topped food chambers extending downward into the brine tank and having their upper ends open-v ing through the top wall of the cabinet, movable closures for said food chambers,

and means for cooling the ybrine comprisinglv a motor-driven compressor, a condenser andl -an evaporator operatively connected with the compressor and disposed inV thel brinel tank with a plurality of the food chambers onf-each side of it, the compressor `being cabinet and affording ready access to said compressor compartment without interfering with access to said food chamber.

4. A horizontally elongated refrigerated cabinet for foods and the like having top,A I

bottom and lateral exterior walls and means comprising an iipi'iglit wall dividing the structure into' a plurality of compartments, a brine tank disposed inone ofsaid compartments, a plurality of pairs of opentopped food chambers extending downward into`the brine tank and having their upper ends opening through the top wall of the cabinet, the axial plane of each pair ofrsaid chambers being disposed to intersect the long sides' of the cabinet, movable closures for said food chambers', and means for cooling the brine comprising la motor-driven compressor, a condenser and an evaporator operatively connected with-the compressor and arranged in the brine tank between two pairs of'said food chambers, the said compressor being enclosed in another of said' con'ipai'tinents of the cabinet and this compressor compartment having an opening and a closure therefor constituting an outside wallsection of the cabinet and affording .ready access to said compressor compartment without interfering with access to said food chan'ibers.

5. In a refrigerated cabinet'for foods and the like, the combination of a brine tank, a

ioo

plurality of pairs of open-topped food cham- :bers extending downward into said tank to be orator being disposed between two pairs of the said food chambers l (L In a refrigerated food cabinet, the combination of a brine tank, a plurality of opentopped food chambers extending downward into said tank to be surrounded by the'brine therein, and an evaporator in the brine tank comprising an elongated header -and a plurality of depending pipe loops connected at their ends to the header, said header having one of its ends connected with a liquid-tight joint to a side wall ofthe brine tank at the periphery of an aperture through said wall, a refrigerantv compressor and condenser mechanism outside of 1the brine tank and pipe connections for the refrigerant between said mechanism and the evaporator, said pipe brine tank.

.7.. lln a refrigerated cabinet itor foods andl the like, the combination of a brine tank, a

lurality of pairsof open-topped food.cham.

rs extending downward' into the said tank to be surrounded by the brine therein, sald pairs of chambers being disposed transversely of the cabinet so as to form two rows of chambers extending longitudinally of the cabinet, and an evaporator in said tank for cooling the brine comprising a' header and` a plurality of depending pipe loops havin their ends connected to the header, the sai evaporator. being disposed transversely of the cabinet between two pairs of the said food chambers. Y

8. In an elongated refrigerated cabinet of approximately store counter width for food and the like, the combination of a brine tank', a plurality of open-topped food chambers extending downward into the saidv tank to be surrounded by the brine therein, all of said food chambers being arranged in pairs disposed transversely of the cabinet so as to form two rows of chambers extending longitudinally of the cabinet, and means in said tank for cooling the brine therein consisting of a single evaporator extending transversely of the cabinet between two of: said pairs of food chambers and substantially the -full depth of the brine whereby two convection currents are set up in the brine on opposite sides of said evaporator.

9. A horizontally enlongated refrigerated cabinet for food and the like, having top, bottom and lateral exterior walls and means comprising an upright wall dividing the structure into a plurality of compartments, said top wall extending at substantially the same level throughout the length of the cabinet, a brine tank disposed in one of said compartments, a plurality of open-topped food chambers extending downward into the brine tank with their u per ends opening through the top wall o the cabinet, said chambers being arranged in two rows extending longitudinally of the cabinet, movable closures for said food chambers, means for cooling the brine comprising a motor driven compreor, a condenser and an evaporator operatively connected with the compressor and immersed in the brine of the brine tank, the said compressor being enclosed in another of said compartments at one end of the cabinet and this compressor compartment havin an opening and a movable closure there or constituting an outside wall section of the cabinet and affording` ready access to said compressor compartment without interfering with access to the food chambers.

10. A horizontally elongated refrigerated cabinet for food and the like having. top,

bottom, and lateral exterior walls and means comprising an upright wall dividing the structure into a plurality of compartments,

' a. brine tank disposed in one of said compartments, a plurality of open-topped food enclosed in another of said compartments of the cabinet and this compressor compartment having an opening and a closure therefor constituting an end Wall section of the cabinet and arranged to afford ready access tosaid compressor compartment without interfering with access to said food chambers. 11. A horizontally elongated refrigerated cabinet for food and the like, having top, bottom and lateral exterior walls and means comprisingan upright wall dividing the structure into a plurality of compartments,

a brine tank disposed in one of said com-y partments and extending to substantiall the full depth thereof from the top wal to the bottom wall of the cabinet, a plu# rality of opentopped food chambers extending downward into' the brine tank to the bottom thereof andv having their upper ends opening throu h the top wall of the cabinet, movable c osures for said food chambers, and means for coolingthe brine comprising a motor-driven compressor, a condenser and an evaporator operatively connected with the compressor and immersed in the brine of -the brine tank, the. said compressor being enclosed in another of said compartments of the cabinet and this compressor compartment having an opening and a closure therefor constituting an los l outside wall section of the cabinet and arsubstantially to lthe bottom wall of the cabinet and having their upper ends opening through the top wall of the cabinet, movable closures for said food chambers, and means for cooling the brine comprislng a motor-driven compressor a condenser and an evaporator operatively connected with the compressor and immersed in the brine of the brine tank, the said compressor being enclosed in another of said compartments of the cabinet and this compressor compartment havin an opening and a closure therefor constituting an outside wall i gasliquefier connected with the evaporator,-

section of the cabinet and arranged to aord' ready access to said compressor compartment without interfering with access to said food chambers.

13. In a refrigerating cabinetsystem, the combination of a main brineI tank, a cabinet separate from said tank and iitted with an auxiliary brine tank'and a food chamber1 extending into said tank and surrounded by the brine therein, means including a pump -for circulating brine from the maintank to the auxiliary tank and back again to the main tank, an electric motor for driving ythe pump, electrically driven refrigerating apparatus operable independently of said pump motor and comprising an evaporator im-l mersed in the brine in the main tank and a and means responsive to the ,temperature of the brine in the main tank for starting and stopping the operation of said liqueiier and Ysimultaneously starting and f stopping saidpump motor.

14. ln a refrigeratin cabinet system, the

combinationof a main' rine tank, a cabinetI separate from said tank and fitted with an auxiliary brine tank and a food chamber extending into said tank and surrounded by the brine therein, the ratio of the cubical brine capacity .of said auxiliary tank to' the, total heat-conducting capacity of its walls bein greater than the corresponding ratio for t e main tank, means including a pump for circulating brine from the main tank to the auxiliary tank and back again to the main tank, amotor for driving the pump, refrigerating apparatus comprising an evaporator immersed in the brine in the main tank and a gas yliquefier connected with p ing an the evaporator, and means responsive to the temperature of thebrine in the main tank for starting and stopping the operation of said liuefier and for simultaneously startstopping said pump motor.

15. In a refrigerating cabinet system, the

combination of a main cabinet having a brine tank and a food chamber extending into said tank and lsurrounded by the brine therein, re'igeratin apparatusl mounted in the main cabinet an l'comprising anevaporator immersed in the brine of the said tank and a gas liquefier connected with the evap- ,fbrine' fromthe main cabinet tank` to the R.

orator, an auxiliary cabinet having a brine tank and Jfood chamber extending intosaid tank and surrounded by the brine therein, the ratio of the' cubica'l brine capacity of the auxiliary tank to the total heatconduct ing capacity of its walls being greater than the corresponding ratio for the main tank,

means including a pump for circulating cabinet tank and back a ain to' the riving the v pump,\ anld" means responsive to the temperature of the brine inthe main tank for startaccesa@ brine tank and a food chamber extending into said tank and surrounded' by the brine therein, refrigerating apparatus mounted in the main cabinet and comprising an evaporator immersed lin the brine of the said tank and a gas liquelier connected with the evaporator, an auxiliary cabinet having a brlne tank and food' chamber extending into said tank and surrounded'by the brine therein,

the ratio of the cubical brine capacity to the external area of the auxiliary cabinet tank being greater than the corresponding ratio of the main cabinet tank, means including a umpfor circulating brine from the main ca inet tank to the auxiliary cabinet tank and back ,again to the main cabinet tank, a motor for driving the pump, and means responsive to the temperature of the f'brine in the main tank for starting and stopping the operation of said liquefier and for simultaneously starting and stopping said pump motor. f

17. In a refrigerating cabinet system, the combination of a main cabinet havin a lbrine tank and a food chamber exten ing into said tank; and surroundedby the brine therein, refrigeratmg'apparatus mounted in the main cabinet and comprising an evapocabinet tank being greater thanv the corresponding ratio for the main brine tank,

means including a pump for circulating brine from the main cabinet tankto the auxiliary cabinet' tank and back again to the main cabinet tank, a -motorlfor driving the pump, means responslve to the temperature of the brine in the main tank for starting and stoppingl the operation of said liquelier and ui'r. simultaneously starting and stopping said pump motor. p

18. In a brine cooling and circulatingsystem, the combinationof a plurality of rine `tanks. comprising` two tanks disposed at differentlevels, t upper tank having Hat sideY wallsand'each tank being substantially filled with brine, means for cooling the brine in one of said two tanks, means Ifor conveying brine from the lower tank to the upper tank comprising a pump arranged to draw brine from the lower tank and force it into the upper tank, and a pipe extending from the upper partof the uppertank'to Jusl V system, the combination of o series of brine tanks a plurality of whichare on one level 1,47e,us

the lower tank to receive and conduct the overflow of brine from the upper tank to the lower tank, the interiors of both of said tanks being in communication with the atmosphere. l

19. In a brine cooling and circulatin and one of which is on a lower level, means for cooling the brine in the lower tank and means for e'ecting a circulatloii of brine through said tanks in series comprising` in terposed conduits which include an overflow pipe leading from one of the upper tanks'toy the lower tank and a pump disposed near the level of the lower tank and arranged to draw brinefrom the latter and force it up into one of the tanks at the upper level, each of said tanks in operation being substantially filled with brine and the upper tank which discharges into the overflow pipe having Hat side walls and the tank or tanks through which the fiow is forced to another tank on the same level being closed while teriors in communication with the atmosphere.

20. A refrigerated' cabinet for food and the like comprising in combination a brine tank having a food chamber extending into it, means for circulating brine in the tank, a motor for driving said circulating means, refrigeration lapparatus operable independently of said motor comprising an evaporator immersed in the brine of the tank and a gas liquelier connected with the evaporator, and means responsive to .the temperature of the brine -in the tank for starting and stopping the operation of said liquefer and simultaneously startin and stopping the motor of said brine circu ator. 4

In testimony whereof, I hereunto affix my signature.

JOHN R. REPLOGLE. l 

